Politics '08

I don’t like to spew too much about politics, because I know very little and have way too many opinions. I do like, however, to read about politics to some degree and enjoy friendly discussion/debates (just not to the point that someone’s feelings get hurt, which is almost always).

Anyways I reveal all of that because I read this interesting interview with Karl Rove today. Karl Rove was the chief advisor to President Bush since his days running for governor of Texas, recently he has resigned and is pursuing other opportunities.

I think he is an incredibly interesting and polarizing figure. Many see him as the evil genius or the conservative savior. I don’t know about either of those. But I would agree that he is someone who just “gets” politics.

Read the interview and see what I mean.

I’m really curious about the off-the-record parts.

What’s your opinion of the man and his thoughts?

-tsh-

check "yes" or "no" (part 2)

I know that God loves everyone, but does God not like anyone?

Question and Link

Mark Moore asks (and answers) this question on his blog:

Does Confession of Sin bring Physical Healing?

Are you feeling sick?
Do you need to confess anything?

Headline

Turner Teams With Churches Despite Christianity 'Loser' Comment

Once a Critic of Christianity, Turner Is Joining Churches in Anti-Malaria Efforts

 

Opening Day (For Me)

Major League Baseball official got under way on Sunday, but for me as an Astros and Rangers fan things really got going yesterday. 

Sure Opening Day officially began in Japan last week, but I am refusing to acknowledge such a poor decision. 

So if Monday was any indication as to how the rest of the season will progress I have 322 more games of disappointment. 

 

Astros (0-1)

Lost 4-0.  The sad thing in this game is that Oswalt just got out-pitched by Peavy.  It doesn’t help when the Astros’ supposedly upgraded their offense and still dropped an egg.  You can’t win games in you don’t cross the plate.  Even with a bad outing by Oswalt they only gave up four runs. 

 

Rangers (0-1)

Lost 5-2.  More sluggish offense.  I expect the pitching to be bad, but to be able to compete they are going to have to score more than 2 runs every night. 

 

Other Thoughts

Mets vs. Marlins.  I’m curious how many Mets players make more per year than the entire Marlin team ($21 million)

Cubs vs. Brewers.  I love that the Cubs lost. 

Tigers vs. Royals.  Kinda surprised that this is how the Tigers get out of the gate.  High power offense out pitched by the Royals bullpen?

Rays vs. Orioles.  If the Rays weren’t in the East I’d say they would make the playoffs.  However as of yesterday they are in first place!

 

Out of Context

I get really annoyed when people quote scripture out of context, especially really obvious passages.

For instance, one of my biggest pet peeves is when people quote Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them."
- First: it's often misquoted. Usually people say something like, "Where two or more are gathered I with them." It's just not the same. If you're going to quote it - memorize it.
- Second: Clearly when the passage is read in its whole context it's about Church discipline or rather brotherly reconciliation. It's not make a statement about the nature of God, Jesus is giving authority to those seeking healing and forgiveness.
and
- Third: When people misquote and pull out of context this text they are making a huge theological error. Is God ever not there? Is God not with you when you are alone? Do you have to be with someone in order to experience God's presence.

How about you? Are there any passages that you often here out of context?

Quote

"I don't drink liquids of any kind. That's the Devil's temperature."

Insight into Trevor - I agree with the above quote.

Asking For Help

I seem to have a problem with my side page element in my blog covering videos.
I'm not very techno-inclined and really need some help.
If you know how to widen these page elements or the space between the blog post and the side elements I would be forever grateful.
Thanks,
-trev

2 Minute Date

This is pretty doggone smooth.

I have a great feeling about Stella (Sarah Chalke). She just may be the girl with the yellow umbrella.

FYI - The song is "Thirteen" covered by Elliot Smith.

"Happiness only real...

...when shared."

And so concludes Christopher Johnson McCandless toward the end of his journey into the wild.
I read this book about 11 years ago and had a haunting feeling then of the sadness that comes from a life only in pursuit of solitude or personal fulfillment. I really need to go back and reread this again.
I read it in college when many young men have the notion that they could just leave it all behind and enter nature as God gave it to us and have a better life on own.
But what happens we when pursue our personal idealistic illusions of grandeur to their fullest extent.
It probably didn't help that Rich Mullins had recently passed in that fatal car accident, and was reaching that legendary status that happens when heroes fall. Who then didn't want to give it all up, drive a Jeep and live on an Indian reservation?
But is that what we were made for or called to.
And what is it that drives us to that place that longs for that?
It's interesting what drove Alexander Supertramp, as Chris liked to call himself. The dysfunction and disappointment of his parents is a familiar pain for some many people today.
But I love the words of wisdom passed on to Chris by one older gentleman he befriends name Mr. Franz:

"When you forgive, you love. And when you love, God's light shines upon you."

Working with students has challenged me to forgive. It's also one of my best pieces of advice. So much bitterness, despair and brokenness is caused by our inability to forgive. And so many people miss out on the opportunity to love and be loved because of unforgiving hearts.

So today I must ask (1) Who and what and I unwilling to forgive, and (2) who and what are you unwilling to forgive?

check "yes" or "no"

Can you love someone without liking them?

List without a View

Others have posted this recently and I feel the need to again. I seem to think I've done this in the past, but am too lazy tonight to look up past post. However it's a good reminder of what I still need to see. Some of these I've had numerous opportunities to see but I feel like the need to be watched with a certain mood or certain people.
Anyone want to come over and watch a movie...dibs I'm not renting it!...okay I will.

The American Film Institute's 2007 list of the top-100 American movies:

1. Citizen Kane, 1941. *
2. The Godfather, 1972.
3. Casablanca, 1942.
4. Raging Bull, 1980. *
5. Singin' in the Rain, 1952.
6. Gone With the Wind, 1939.
7. Lawrence of Arabia, 1962. **
8. Schindler's List, 1993. **
9. Vertigo, 1958.
10. The Wizard of Oz, 1939.
11. City Lights, 1931.
12. The Searchers, 1956. *
13. Star Wars, 1977.
14. Psycho, 1960.
15. 2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968.
16. Sunset Blvd., 1950.
17. The Graduate, 1967.
18. The General, 1927.
19. On the Waterfront, 1954.
20. It's a Wonderful Life, 1946.
21. Chinatown, 1974. *
22. Some Like It Hot, 1959.
23. The Grapes of Wrath, 1940.
24. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, 1982.
25. To Kill a Mockingbird, 1962.
26. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, 1939.
27. High Noon, 1952.
28. All About Eve, 1950.
29. Double Indemnity, 1944.
30. Apocalypse Now, 1979.
31. The Maltese Falcon, 1941.
32. The Godfather Part II, 1974.
33. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, 1975.
34. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1937.
35. Annie Hall, 1977.
36. The Bridge on the River Kwai, 1957.
37. The Best Years of Our Lives, 1946.
38. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, 1948. *
39. Dr. Strangelove, 1964. *
40. The Sound of Music, 1965.
41. King Kong, 1933.
42. Bonnie and Clyde, 1967. *
43. Midnight Cowboy, 1969.
44. The Philadelphia Story, 1940. **
45. Shane, 1953. **
46. It Happened One Night, 1934.
47. A Streetcar Named Desire, 1951. *
48. Rear Window, 1954.
49. Intolerance, 1916.
50. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, 2001.
51. West Side Story, 1961.
52. Taxi Driver, 1976. *
53. The Deer Hunter, 1978. *
54. M-A-S-H, 1970.
55. North by Northwest, 1959.
56. Jaws, 1975.
57. Rocky, 1976.
58. The Gold Rush, 1925.
59. Nashville, 1975.
60. Duck Soup, 1933.
61. Sullivan's Travels, 1941.
62. American Graffiti, 1973.
63. Cabaret, 1972.
64. Network, 1976.
65. The African Queen, 1951.
66. Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1981.
67. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, 1966. **
68. Unforgiven, 1992. *
69. Tootsie, 1982.
70. A Clockwork Orange, 1971. **
71. Saving Private Ryan, 1998.
72. The Shawshank Redemption, 1994.
73. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, 1969.
74. The Silence of the Lambs, 1991.
75. In the Heat of the Night, 1967.
76. Forrest Gump, 1994.
77. All the President's Men, 1976.
78. Modern Times, 1936.
79. The Wild Bunch, 1969.
80. The Apartment, 1960.
81. Spartacus, 1960. **
82. Sunrise, 1927.
83. Titanic, 1997.
84. Easy Rider, 1969. **
85. A Night at the Opera, 1935.
86. Platoon, 1986.
87. 12 Angry Men, 1957.
88. Bringing Up Baby, 1938.
89. The Sixth Sense, 1999.
90. Swing Time, 1936.
91. Sophie's Choice, 1982.
92. Goodfellas, 1990.
93. The French Connection, 1971.
94. Pulp Fiction, 1994.
95. The Last Picture Show, 1971.
96. Do the Right Thing, 1989.
97. Blade Runner, 1982.
98. Yankee Doodle Dandy, 1942.
99. Toy Story, 1995.
100. Ben-Hur, 1959.

already seen
* want to see again
** really want to see for the first time

This is the Truth

Saw this today. Apparently it's been seen over 750,000 times on Youtube. A great idea executed well.

Quote

"Now it is comparatively easy to be faithful if we do not care about being contemporary, and easy also to be contemporary if we do not bother to be faithful. It is the search for a combination of truth and relevance which is exacting."
—John Stott, Christian Mission in the Modern World, page 43

Thanks

At Your Own Risk

Juvenile?
Yes.
But "stinking" hilarious!

Question

My roommate Chris asked a great question on his blog yesterday.
I think the answer is a "yes" and would like to extend the question a bit.

How does Wonder Woman's lasso work in a postmodern world?

I have some ideas, but do you?

These are my two sisters at Chelsy's wedding a few weeks back. Chelsy is on the left in the wedding dress, of course, and Cayla is giving her the hug. The little lady in the bottom right corner is my niece Halie. And blurred in the back is Mickey, Chelsy's husband, in the Marine uniform.
We should be receiving all the wedding photos soon, but you may check out some early ones at the photographers Flickr account here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/guamjpegs/
I'm hoping they have one of my in the pimp suit for all to see.

Billy Jean

I just heard this and...brilliant!
I had this Jackson album memorized from beginning to end back in the day with my glove (yes I had a sequenced glove) and I don't listen long to too many remakes or covers. But this is awesome!

Question

Do you throw your hat into a ring?
or
Do you throw your name in a hat?

Opportunist